Vehicle antitheft device utilizing cigarette lighter as timer

ABSTRACT

A vehicle antitheft accessory readily connectable in circuit with the vehicle electrical system for the horn, running lights and the customary cigarette lighter, and utilizing the latter as a timer to temporarily deactivate an antitheft alarm but not the vehicle lights to permit the driver to exit, lock the vehicle and leave the immediate vicinity. Termination of the lighter timing cycle automatically arms the alarm device and any attempt to enter or move the vehicle is effective to energize the alarm intermittently and irregularly thereby alerting bystanders to the fact that a vandal or unauthorized person is attempting to enter or molest the vehicle.

United States Patent Vinokur Feb. 8, 1972 [54] VEHICLE ANTITHEFT DEVICEUTILIZING CIGARETTE LIGHTER A 3,160,868 12/ 1964 Kowanda ..340/65Primary Examiner-John W. Caldwell Assistant Examiner-Glen R. Swann, IIIAttorney-Sellers and Brace [57] ABSTRACT A vehicle antitheft accessoryreadily connectable in circuit with the vehicle electrical system forthe horn, running lights and the customary cigarette lighter, andutilizing the latter as a timer to temporarily deactivate an antitheflalarm but not the vehicle lights to permit the driver to exit, lock thevehicle and leave the immediate vicinity. Termination of the lightertiming cycle automatically arms the alarm device and any attempt toenter or move the vehicle is effective to energize the alarmintemiittently and irregularly thereby alerting bystanders to the factthat a vandal or unauthorized person is attempting to enter or molestthe vehicle.

5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to antitheft devices and more particularly to a simple alarmaccessory readily installable in a motor vehicle electrical system andcooperating therewith to thwart an attempt by unauthorized persons toenter or molest the vehicle.

Among the many proposals heretofore made to protect motor vehiclesagainst use by unauthorized persons are devices connectable in circuitwith the vehicle horn and including means for. conditioning the deviceto blow the vehicle horn if an attempt is made to enter or molest thevehicle. While such deices have numerous advantages they are subject tothe serious shortcoming that it is difficult for the operator to eitherleave or reenter the vehicle without activating the warning device afterit has been armed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By the present invention the foregoing andother shortcomings of this general type of vehicle theft thwartingdevices are avoided utilizing simple and inexpensive expedients.According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the conventionalvehicle cigarette lighter is employed as an automatic timer to controlcircuit means for deactivating the antitheft device for a short intervaland for thereupon arming the alarm. The normal operating cycle of thetimer measures this short interval which is of sufficient duration topermit the driver to leave the vehicle and to lock the door in aleisurely fashion following which the automatic release of the lighterserves to fully arm the waming device. Thereafter, any attempt to enter,move or operate the vehicle will cause intermittent operation of thevehicle horn in a distinctive manner readily recognized by and alertingany persons in the vicinity, thereby frightening the intruder andcausing him to flee. Preferably and desirably the accessory alsoincludes means utilinng the cigarette lighter to the vehicle headlightsenergized for a short interval adequate to permit the operator toexit,close the garage doorsorto leave the vicinity ofthe vehicle aided by thelight furnished by the headlights. The next time the operator uses thevehicle he merely opens a manual switch connected in the lightingcircuit and previously closed to arm the automatic delayed cutoff forthe headlights. Alternatively, the manual switch may be omitted in whichcase the arming relay for the motion-responsive switch automaticallyactivates the vehicle lights for a short period each time the operatorleaves the vehicle after placing the arming switch in itsalarm-conditioning position.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a simple,foolproof, antithefi accessory for attachment to a motor vehicleelectrical system and effective in cooperation therewith to arm adistinctive intruder alarrn a predetermined interval after beingmanually set.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING v with the alarm disarmed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple,

inexpensive, ruged vehicle theft-thwarting accesory utilizing amotion-sensitive switch to sound an alarm upon the slightest movement ofthe vehicle and utilizing the release of the vehi cle cigarette lighterto arm the accessory.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for the lightsof a motor vehicle energized for a brief period and thereuponautomatically deenergizing the lights and utilizing the operating cycleof the vehicle cigarette lighter as the control agency.

A further object of the invention is the provision of circuit meansutilizing a motor vehicle cigarette lighter as a delaymeasuring meansfor extinguishing the vehicle lights and additionally to arm an audiblealarm system circuit for sounding an alarm should an unauthorized personenter or molest the vehicle.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The antitheft accessory,designated generally It), utilizes certain standard components presentin all motor vehicles including battery 11, the vehicle headlights 12,the headlight control switch 13, the vehicle horn'and horn relay l4,horn button 15, and the conventional automatic cigarette lighter 16.Additional components connected in circuit therewith includea motionsensitive or responsive switch 20, a doublethrow arming switch 21, adouble-contact relay 22, an auxiliary headlight control switch 23 and aresistor 24.

Cigarette lighter 16 together with the resistance network in seriestherewith is utilized as a timer in addition to its normal function toenergize an incandescent heater for lighting a cigarette. Thisresistance network comprises the coil of relay 22 and resistor 24 which,in combination with the lighter heater, increases the normal heatingcycle of the cigarette lighter to some suitable time period as 2minutes. The lighter may be of any conventional construction having atubular metallic housing 25 rigidly supported on the vehicle dashboard26 and releasably seating a removable knob 27 supporting an electricheater unit 28 in its inner end. Handle 27 has limited axial movementrelative to a support sleeve40 and is normally urged outwardly to itsextended position by a compression spring 30 having one end pressingagainst a flange of handle 27 and its other end bearing against a flangeat the inner end of sleeve 40. When handle 27 is pressed inwardly theperiphery of heater element 28 is held captive by resilient fingers 32secured about the rim of the birnetal thermostatic disc 33 having itscenter welded or otherwise secured to a bolt 34 supported in a ring ofinsulation 35. One end of the heater element receives current from bolt34 via thermostat 33and fingers 32 whereas the other end makeselectrical contact with a ground connection 37 by way of the inner end29 of handle 27, sleeve 40 and housing 25. When thermomember 33 is cold,it is substantially flat and fingers 32 curl inwardly and are efiectiveto grip and retain heater 28 captive. During the heating cycle ofapproximately 2 minutes required for. the heating element to reachincandescence, the bimetal 33 curls or bulges in a direction toexpand'the spring fingers 32 out of gripping relation with the heaterhousing and allowing spring 30 to eject handle 27 to the left until itsshoulder 39 comes to rest against the adjacent end of sleeve 40. Metalhousing 28 for the heater is now disengaged from the fingers 32 with theresult that its energizing circuit is opened and deactivated. The mannerin which opening of this heater circuit is employed to arm the inventionantitheft device will now be described. I

Thus, as is clearly shown in the drawing, the electrical Switchingdevice or relay coil 22 is connected in circuit with battery 11 and withthe heater terminal post 34. This relay has a pair of contacts 22a, 22bconnected to operate in synchronism the first being normally closedwhenever the relay is deenergized, and contact 22b being normally open.

Arming switch 21 likewise includes a pair of operatively interconnectedcontact 21a, 21b, the former being normally closed and the latter beingclosed only when switch 21 is manually moved to its alternate positionto condition the alarm device for use.

The inertia or motion responsive switch 20 comprises a cantilever leafspring 20a having one end rigidly secured to the vehicle and its freeend equipped with a weight 20b causing the spring leaf to vibrate at asuitable relatively low frequency whenever the vehicle body is subjectedto movement of any kind. It will be understood that contact 20c isnormally open.

However, if the vehicle ia-subjected to shock or vibration of any kindthe leaf spring vibrates to and fro thereby momentarily closing contact200 to complete an electric circuit to the born or other'alarm deviceonce during every complete cycle of vibration.

The operation of the invention theft detector will be readily apparentfrom the foregoing description of its components and their operativerelationship to one another. Normally, all switches and parts are in theposition shown and the vehicle, including the accessories such as thelighter, headlights and thehom,canbeoperatedintheusual manner.

When the user parks the vehicle and prepares to leave it unattended,hemerely depreses lighter plug 27 and operates the arming switch 21 to itsalternate position to open contact 210 and close contact 211:. Thisswitch is usually mounted behind the dashboard or in some readilyaccessible concealed position known only to the vehicle operator. Priorto closing switch 2l"to die right, the operator checks to see that otheroccupants of the vehicle have departed whereupon he depreaes thecigarette lighter handle 27 and immediatelythereafterclosesanningswitch2l tothe right. Theseatingof theheater 28beneath the contact spring fingers 32 retains the heater in thisactivated position and simultaneously completes an circuit to both thelighter heater and relay 22. Contact 224 now opem and contact 22!:closes, the opening of contact 220 opens the power circuit to both themotion-sensitive switch and horn 14. So long as contact 220 remainsopenhorn 14 cannot be energized except by pressing its button switch 15.

.The vehicle operator is afiorded approximately 2 minutes time withinwhich to leave the vehicle, close the door and lock it. At the end ofthat time the cigarette liflrter automatically releases therebydeenergizing the heater circuit as well as the power supply to relay 22.The latter now opens contact 2212 and closes contact 221' thereby arminga power circuit to the normally open motion-sensitive switch 20 by wayof arming switch 21 contact 21b of which is now closed.

If any intruder or vandal attempts to enter the vehicle or to move it,either under its own power or by other power, the vibratory detectorswitch 20 will immediately sense the intrusion, and altemately open andclose contact 200 to complete a power circuit to born 14. Thisdistinctive interrupted signal will be noticed inunediately by anyperson in the vicinity. 'Ihereisnoriskofdepletingthe battery sinceashorttime alter the intrusion ceases the sensing device 20 will come torest in an open position and the horn will cease to blow. However, aswill be'recognized, the device continues in a fully arrnedstate and inreadiness to detect any further intrusion.

If the vehicle operator wishes to utilize the headlights to.lightthedrivewayoragarageatterdarkwhileheisleavingthe vicinity of thevehicle, he operates the device in the following manner. Immediatelyprior to exiting, the operator depresses the cigarette lighter handle27, opens the headlight switch 13 and closes the auxiliary headlightswitch 23. Relay 22 and itscontact22bnowactasanarmingcontrolfortheheadlightsby the headlightsenergized for a short interval adequate for the operator to leave thevehicle and its vicinity with the aid ofthe headlights. At the end ofthis short interval, the cigarette lighter automatically releases in theusual way thereby deactivating relay 22 and automatically extinguishingthe headlights 12. When the operator next uses the vehicle, he opens theheadlight-arming switch 23 and restores controlof the headlights to thecustomary vehicle headlight control switch 13.

While the particular vehicle antithett device herein shown and disclomin detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing theadvantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merelyillustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, andthat no limitations are intended to the details of construction ordesign herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. In a vehicle antithett device of the type having motionresponsiveswitch means operable to activate the vehicle horn should an intruderenter or molest the vehicle, that improvement which comprises: relaymeans for utilizing the vehicle cigarette lighter as a timer to delaythe supply of current to said motion-responsive switch means for a shortinterval to afford the operator time to exit and lock the vehicle door,and manually operable arming switch means in circuit with said cigarettelighter and with said. motion-responsive switch means operable to rendersaid cigarette lighter effective to initiate a timing cycle of thelatter.

2. An antitheft device a defined in claim 1 characterized in that saidmanually operable arming switch means is operable between first andsecond pos'tions thereof, and includes circuit means operable to disarmsaid antitheft device when saidarrningswitchmeansisinthefirstpositionandtoarmsaid alarm device when inthe second position thereof.

3. An antitheft device as defined in claim 1 characterized in that saiddevice is connectable in circuit with the vehicle headlights, saidmanually operable arming switch means being in circuit with said relaymeans, said relay means being operable between first and second currentflow control positions and being efi'ective in a first position thereofto control the flow of current to the vehicle horn by way of saidmotionresponsive switch means and being effective in a second positionthereof to supply power to said vehicle headlights so long as saidcigarette lighter is energized.

4. An antitheft device as defined in claim 1 characterized in theprovision of circuit means including manually operable switch means foractivating said born at the option of the vehicle operator andindependently of said motion-responsive switch means.

5. An antitheft device as defined in claim 1 characterized in theprovision of vehicle headlight means including a manually operableswitch connected in circuit with said manually operable arming means andwith said cigarette lighter, said manually operable switch for saidheadlight means being operable when closed to supply energy to thevehicle headlights so long as said cigarette lighter is energizedterminating automatically with the release of the lighter at the end ofa heating cycle thereof.

1. In a vehicle antitheft device of the type having motionresponsiveswitch means operable to activate the vehicle horn should an intruderenter or molest the vehicle, that improvement which comprises: relaymeans for utilizing the vehicle cigarette lighter as a timer to delaythe supply of current to said motionresponsive switch means for a shortinterval to afford the operator time to exit and lock the vehicle door,and manually operable arming switch means in circuit with said cigarettelighter and with said motion-responsive switch means operable to rendersaid cigarette lighter effective to initiate a timing cycle of thelatter.
 2. An antitheft device as defined in claim 1 characterized inthat said manually operable arming switch means is operable betweenfirst and second positions thereof, and includes circuit means operableto disarm said antitheft device when said arming switch means is in thefirst position and to arm said alarm device when in the second positionthereof.
 3. An antitheft device as defined in claim 1 characterized inthat said device is connectable in circuit with the vehicle headlights,said manually operable arming switch means being in circuit with saidrelay means, said relay means being operable between first and secondcurrent flow control positions and being effective in a first positionthereof to control the flow of current to the vehicle horn by way ofsaid motion-responsive switch means and being effective in a secondposition thereof to supply power to said vehicle headlights so long assaid cigarette lighter is energized.
 4. An antitheft device as definedin claim 1 characterized in the provision of circuit means includingmanually operable switch means for activating said horn at the option ofthe vehicle operator and independently of said motion-responsive switchmeans.
 5. An antitheft device as defined in claim 1 characterized in theprovision of vehicle headlight means including a manually operableswitch connected in circuit with said manually operable arming means andwith said cigarette lighter, said manually operable switch for saidheadlight means being operable when closed to supply energy to thevehicle headlights so long as said cigarette lighter is energizedterminating automatically with the release of the lighter at the end ofa heating cycle thereof.